Bill · S. 5273· Senate(119-S-5273)
Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026
A bill to improve fisheries stock assessments by incorporating eDNA, and for other purposes.
- Introduced
- 8/6/2026
- Last activity
- 8/6/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sponsored by
- Lisa Murkowski
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 6
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026 aims to improve fisheries stock assessments by incorporating eDNA technology. The bill directs the Administrator of NOAA to conduct a multi-year pilot study to evaluate how eDNA can estimate fish abundance and validate its use in federal assessments. Following the pilot, an implementation plan will be developed to integrate these methods into federally managed fisheries. The Act also establishes the National Aquatic Biomolecular Coordination Network to coordinate eDNA activities across various federal agencies and environments. Additionally, the legislation focuses on expanding the workforce, supporting research, and fostering technological innovation.
Yes· 3 of 13
Does this put more money into scientific research?+5
The act creates a network to coordinate and advance eDNA scientific research.
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+4
The bill includes specific protections for Tribal data sovereignty.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+4
The bill enhances ecosystem monitoring and manages fish stocks through modernized technology.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Fishery Assessments: The pilot study aims to evaluate eDNA-based abundance estimation to validate its use in Federal fishery stock assessments (Section 101(a)).
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Cost Reductions and Efficiency: The bill directs the evaluation of eDNA sampling for its potential to reduce costs and uncertainty in stock assessments (Section 101(c)(2)), as well as increasing survey efficiencies through emerging technologies (Section 101(c)(3)).
-
Economic and Subsistence Protections: The implementation plan includes a framework to prioritize fisheries based on their economic or subsistence importance (Section 102(b)(2)).
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Support for Local Industry and Research: The bill encourages the integration of emerging technologies, such as autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled samplers (Section 101(c)(3)), and promotes technology transfer among private-sector firms (Section 202(b)(4)).
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Workforce Development: The Act provides for training survey technicians and supporting training for National Marine Fisheries Service personnel in eDNA handling and modeling (Section 103(b)(1) and 103(b)(5)). It also supports training programs and fellowships to build expertise in genomics and bioinformatics (Section 203(b)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Regulatory Restrictions on Sampling: The bill specifies that the collection of water, air, or sediment samples for eDNA analysis shall not constitute a taking under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 or the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (Section 3).
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Data Privacy Concerns: The implementation plan requires the identification of appropriate safeguards for the use of genetic information, including guidance on genetic stock identification (Section 102(b)(9)).
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Data Sovereignty Issues: The National Aquatic Biomolecular Coordination Network is tasked with developing open-access data practices that must include appropriate protections for Tribal data sovereignty (Section 201(d)(7)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+4Good For Business Owners+2Good For Students+2
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Reduces Government Spending+2Improves Economic Growth+1
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+5Improves Data Privacy+1
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+4Improves Public Land Management+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2Increases Federal Power+1
- Healthcare
- Increases Research Funding+3
- 9/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/6/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Patty MurrayDemocrat · Washington
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island